A reader emailed me about their positive experience with Tag Mobile, a Sprint MVNO. Tag isn't new, they have been around since 2010 as Lifeline service provider in 17 states. Last month Tag launched non-Lifeline prepaid monthly service that's available nationwide.

One thing that's notable about Tag is aggressive phone pricing. That they are currently offering the LG Venice Android Jelly Bean phone for $99.99 plus $4.95 for shipping and handling, $75 less than Sprint's own Boost Mobile charges for the same phone. Tag's other phones are also well priced, like the ruggedized military spec Kyocera E4255 for $35.00. The low phone prices help compensate for the fact that Tag, unlike most Sprint MVNOs, doesn't let you bring you own Sprint phone.

Tag's plans (listed below) are competitively priced. The international plans look attractive, especially if you call lots of different international numbers. Unlike most other unlimited international plans, Tag's do not limit the number of different international phones you may call. As is typical with international plane, only calls to landlines are available to most countries (list of supported international countries).

Tag's offshore customer service told me that the unlimited data and international calling plans are truly unlimited, which seems highly unlikely given the economics of the MVNO business. In fact Tag's terms of service state that they may cut off service to users who generate "...unusually high call volumes, abnormally long average call lengths, calls with abnormally high costs" and that data is to be used predominately for web browsing and "...multimedia streaming services provided by TAG, its affiliates, authorized suppliers and licensors, and not for off-portal multimedia streaming services."

The PrepaidPhoneNews reader who told me about Tag says he has a Venice on Tag's $59 Unlimited Talk + Text + Data plan and has used lots of data and international calling and with no complaints from Tag.

Tag looks promising provided they allow a reasonable amounts of usage on their "unlimited plans". To be really competitive they also need to let users bring their own Sprint phones.

My understanding is that unlocking is definitely legal if:- You get an unlock code from the operator (T-Mobile)-or-- You bought the phone before January 26, 2013

If you bought the phone on or after Jan 26 and aren't unlocking with a code from T-Mobile, the legality of unlocking the phone is unclear, it's probably legal but it might not be and no one can say for sure if it is or isn't.

Sounds like the founder/owner/operator of this MVNO has had serious and very troubling professional and personal legal problems in his past, including a felony conviction concerning financial transactions.

Also, from the TAG Mobile website, it mentions Verizon as the first network and Sprint second. Does this mean that TAG is also a Verizon MVNO, or using the roaming agreements that Sprint has in place with Verizon?

http://www.tagmobile.com/site/FAQ.aspx#7

Based on the information from the Dallas Observer article, I would not use this MVNO, and especially I would not provide/give any personally identifying information including name, address and credit card information to this company.

Many other MVNO's to choose from.

By the way, isn't the Sanyo 8600 that TAG Mobile offers the same as the Sanyo Zio offered by Sprint and Cricket back in 2010, and later PTel-Platinum Tel over Sprint?

The Dallas Observer article you linked to reports that Tag's founder, Zahed Lateef was the target of a blackmailing attempt in 2010. Lateef was the victim not the perpetrator. How does that make him or his company untrustworthy?

As far as I know Tag service is on the Sprint native network only.

The Sanyo SCP-8600 is in fact the Zio. By all accounts it's a phone to be avoided.

Also, the Texas utilities commission moved to revoke the operating authority/certifcate for Mr. Lateef as a reseller of a electric utility that Mr. Lateef controlled/owned.

Based on further reading from the F.C.C. filing, personally, I would not conduct any business with TAG Mobile. Frankly, I'm surprised that Sprint did not fully investigate Mr. Lateef's most recent problems/issues with the Texas utilities commission before entering into a MVNO agreement wih him, if it is in fact Sprint that TAG Mobile is an MVNO of.

I do think it is "odd" that TAG Mobile does list Verizon in the first position and Sprint second as to which company subscribers will be using.

When one attempts to click on the TAG Mobile coverage map, all one can see is an outline of the United States completely filled in purple. When you click on the map as provided, nothing happens.

I own a Sprint Zio that was moved to Platinumtel. It is very slow, and you have to have to type slightly above the letter or number you want, and perfectly center your finger horizontally. The screen is not very responsive. This phone will not run some of the apps I use. Otherwise it is OK ;-)

According to the FCC document that the previous poster linked to, Mr Lateef's felony conviction was for writing a bad check 20 years ago when he was 22 years old. The Texas PUC ended up taking no action in the case of the electric company.

I don't know Mr. Lateef or have any interest in defending him but I don't see anything in that document to indicate that dealing with Tag Mobile is any more risky than with any other new and relatively unknown MVNO.

Have you check out Walmart TMobile new family plan. For about $40, you get unlimited talk, text and up to 2.5 GB of 3G data, 2G data speeds after the 2.5 GB threshold. Before, the plan was 250 MB of data each month based on the promo info.

Check out link for the $40 special http://www.walmart.com/cp/Family-Mobile/1076544

I don't know of any Sprint MVNO that allows activation of BlackBerrys.

Verizon MVNOs PagePlus, TalkForGood, NextG and Selectel will activate Verizon BlackBerrys (and non-Verizon CDMA BlackBerrys with flashing) but there's no BIS support so service will be talk and text only. MMS and the Web can be enabled by manually loading service books using a PC but BBM and BB email will not work without BIS.

Actually the Texas Public Utility Commission forced Zahed Lateef to divest himself from DPI as convicted Felons are not allowed to own a public utility. Just Saying that a bad egg is one that has crack in its shell.